NARPO supports widows’ pension campaign

13 March 2019

The National Association of Retired Police Officers (NARPO) has announced the date it will be lobbying Parliament in support of a widow of a West Midlands officer campaigning to get pensions for life for police widows.

Since 2014, Kate Hall has campaigned for police widows to be allowed keep their pensions for life, regardless of whether their relationship status changed after the death of their police officer spouse. An online petition launched by Kate currently has nearly 130,000 signatures – but needs 150,000 to be heard in Parliament

Earlier this year NARPO announced its full support for the campaign and promised to lobby Parliament – and this will now happen on 1 May between 2pm and 4pm in Room R, Portcullis House.

This year marks NARPO’s centenary year and to mark the milestone it is looking to strengthen its campaign for equality in widows’, widowers’ and civil partners’ pension rights under the 1987 Police Pension Regulations.

The campaign goal is to achieve parity with widows of former Northern Ireland Police officers who retain their pension even if they go on to re-marry or co-habit.

Steve Edwards, chief executive officer of NARPO, has drafted a letter for NARPO members to send to their MPs to ask them to attend the event, and there is also a version available for non-members.

In 1987, when Kate was just 24, her husband, Colin (40) collapsed and died after having a heart attack while working as a West Midlands Police dog handler. He had been called to a disturbance at a block of flats. Their daughter Kelly was four at the time.

After Colin’s death, Kate met her new partner, John, in 1994 when she enrolled in a college to improve her job prospects to support herself and her daughter.

In 2001, they decided to live together as a couple, resulting in the loss of Kate’s police pension.Parity with Northern Ireland would mean life-long pensions for all widows irrespective of the timing or circumstances of the officer's death. The officer could have died on duty, been killed on duty, died of illness during service or died post retirement.

If you feel that you are able to assist NARPO, or would like to go to Parliament in May in order to lobby your MP, email CathrynHall@outlook.com with the details and your mobile number.